ADP 3-90, page 37

Common Tactical Concepts and Echelons 31 July 2019 ADP 3-90 2-19 BATTALIONS AND SQUADRONS 2-92. A battalion is a unit consisting of two or more company-, battery-, or troop-size units and a headquarters. In cavalry organizations this echelon is called a squadron. Most battalions range in size from 500 to 800 Soldiers, although some sustainment battalions are larger. The Army organizes most of its battalions by branch, although most sustainment battalions contain a mix of functional organizations. 2-93. Maneuver battalions contain a headquarters company in addition to their branch-specific line companies. Combined arms battalions are exceptions to this rule in that they contain either two mechanized infantry companies and one armor company or one mechanized infantry company and two armor companies in addition to their headquarters company. Non-maneuver battalions typically have a headquarters detachment instead of a headquarters company. Typically, battalions have three to five companies in addition to their headquarters company. 2-94. A BCT commander can task-organize subordinate maneuver battalions with other maneuver and functional and multifunctional support companies to form task forces for special missions. A battalion task force is a maneuver battalion-size unit consisting of a battalion headquarters, at least one assigned company-size element, and at least one attached company-size element from another maneuver or support unit (functional or multifunctional). Task organization increases the capabilities of maneuver battalions. Field artillery battalions may control batteries of any kind from other field artillery battalions through an established support relationship. BCT commanders can reinforce engineer battalions with the same or different types of engineer companies and platoons to form engineer task forces. 2-95. Functional and multifunctional support and sustainment battalions vary widely in type and organization. They may perform functional services for a larger supported unit within that supported unit’s AO. All types of battalions are capable of short-term, limited self-defense. BRIGADES, REGIMENTS, AND GROUPS 2-96. Brigades, regiments, and groups are higher echelons than battalions. A brigade is a unit consisting of two or more battalions and a headquarters company or detachment. A brigade normally contains between 2,500 and 5,000 Soldiers. Its capacity for independent action varies by its type. Division commanders use armored, infantry, or Stryker BCTs, supported by multifunctional support brigades (including field artillery brigades, combat aviation brigades, maneuver enhancement brigades, and sustainment brigades) and functional brigades (including air and missile defense brigades, engineer brigades, civil affairs brigades, and military police brigades) to accomplish their missions. All types of brigades and BCTs can task-organize by the attachment or detachment of outside organizations to become brigade task forces. 2-97. A brigade combat team is a combined arms organization consisting of a brigade headquarters, at least two maneuver battalions, and necessary supporting functional capabilities. BCTs are the largest fixed tactical units in the Army. However, additional battalions and companies may be attached to them or their organic battalions, and companies can be detached from them. This occurs as part of force tailoring at the strategic and operational levels and as part of task organization at the tactical level. All types of BCTs— infantry, armored, and Stryker—normally contain a headquarters and headquarters company, a field artillery battalion, a brigade support battalion, a brigade engineer battalion, and a cavalry squadron. BCTs combine the efforts of their battalions and companies to fight engagements and perform tactical tasks within division-level battles and major operations. Their chief tactical responsibility is synchronizing the plans and actions of their subordinate units to accomplish tasks for a division headquarters. (See FM 3-96 for details on BCTs and their subordinate units.) 2-98. The Army currently retains only two tactical regiments, the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. All the Army’s other regiments have no tactical function. Instead, they are intended to perpetuate regimental history, espirit de corps, and traditions for Soldiers affiliated with a regiment. Many of the Army’s branches contain only a single regiment, such as the Corps of Engineers and the Military Police Corps. Each maneuver battalion or squadron carries an association with a parent regiment. In some BCTs and brigades several numbered battalions carrying the same regimental association serve together, and they tend to consider themselves part of the traditional regiment. In fact, they are independent battalions serving a brigade, rather than a regimental headquarters.